Church and Society Board Meets in Geneva

The Board of Directors of the General Board of Church and Society (GBCS) met in Geneva, Switzerland, Sept. 19-21, 2026, under the leadership of board president Rev. Allison Mark. Sessions were held at the Evangelical Methodist Church of Geneva, a part of the Switzerland-France-North Africa Annual Conference. Holding the meeting outside the United States reflected the church’s ongoing implementation of worldwide regionalization across the global connection. Directors worshipped with local congregations and engaged with European Methodist leaders and fellow board members from throughout the global connection.

The board held its meeting at the only United Methodist local church in Geneva. “We were in Geneva, so it made sense to experience Geneva, not only through visits to the United Nations and the World Council of Churches, but also through our relationships with local church leaders and their congregation at the Evangelical Methodist Church of Geneva,” said Allison Mark. 

“Even though we spent much of our time in meetings, we also had opportunities to engage with the people of Geneva through public transit, walks through the city, local restaurants, and shops.”

In his General Secretary’s Report, Bishop Julius C. Trimble spoke to the value of learning from those serving in different places. “Our interactions with those who engage in ministry in different places must come with humility, civic awareness, recognition of gifts and global experiences that advance our collective commitment to relieve human suffering and advance peace and justice,” he said. 

Worship and Fellowship with Local Congregations in Geneva

Worship with local French- and Spanish-speaking congregations offered board members an opportunity to worship alongside United Methodists in a cultural and linguistic context other than English. During the service, congregation members, board directors, GBCS staff, and guests took time to introduce themselves to one another. 

In his sermon, Pastor Vladir Seibel reflected on Matthew’s parable of the workers in the vineyard. “There are people who come from other countries seeking an opportunity. There are workers who get up at dawn, people who clean our homes and offices, who deliver food in the rain and cold, who work while we rest. The Gospel asks us: Do we see them as competitors or as fellow workers in the same vineyard?” 

Drawing from the same parable, Pastor Katarina Van Droogenbroeck said, “So let us ask ourselves: What is my place in the vineyard today? What around me needs to be cultivated? Where can I help bring about a little more justice, peace, trust, and fellowship?” 

As a sign of gratitude for the congregation’s hospitality, GBCS representatives presented artwork by GBCS staff member Amber Gaines depicting Micah 6:8, with imagery and text reflecting the biblical call to “do justice, love mercy, and walk humbly with God.” 

Engaging European Methodist and Ecumenical Leaders

During a lunch panel at the host church, board directors and local church members heard from European Methodist leaders on public witness, regional contextualization, and the application of the United Methodist Social Principles in Europe. Panelists included Bishop Rosemarie Wenner, retired bishop of the Germany Central Conference and current Council of Bishops co-ecumenical officer; Dr. Thorsten Göbel, executive director of ACT Alliance; Rev. Sarah Tiainen, an elder in the Finland Swedish Provisional Annual Conference and a GBCS board member; and Rev. Jörg Niederer, a retired elder and former GBCS board member from the Central and Southern Europe Central Conference.

They discussed migration, human rights, climate change, humanitarianism, sustainable development, economic inequality, peacebuilding, and other issues shaping church and society across Europe. 

On the impact of regional contextualization, Bishop Wenner said, “We as United Methodists make best use of the fact that we are an international church with local presence all over Europe. In light of multiple crises like wars, migration or climate emergencies, we can act locally and interact globally at the same time to maximize the impact for people and the planet.” 

Visits to the World Council of Churches and the United Nations

Beyond the host church, board members met with World Council of Churches (WCC) executives and staff at the John Knox International Center and visited the United Nations Office at Geneva.

Church and Society staff joined WCC staff in leading their Monday morning prayer service alongside the worldwide WCC community.

Among the WCC presenters was Rev. Dr. Kenneth Mtata, WCC programme director for Public Witness and Diakonia, who spoke about ecumenical cooperation and public witness. “The world is too complicated and too difficult for a divided church,” he said. “Many of the challenges that we are facing today cannot be resolved without taking the ecumenical identity seriously.” 

A panel discussion that followed featured the World Council of Churches’ work on technology and digital justice. The organization’s engagement with questions surrounding AI dates back to 2005 and continues today through work on ethical responses to emerging technologies such as autonomous weapons. Other featured ecumenical work included themes around climate and economic justice, peace and nuclear disarmament, human rights, and health and wholeness.

At the United Nations Office in Geneva, board directors received a presentation and tour of the Palais des Nations. The visit provided additional context for GBCS’s decades-long United Nations ministry and engagement in issues related to human rights, peacebuilding, Indigenous peoples, disarmament, and international cooperation. These conversations continued in meetings between GBCS staff, U.N. officials, and senior civil society leaders in Geneva.

In addition to worship and learning opportunities, the board conducted its governance responsibilities through committee sessions and discussion of agency priorities. Members also began reviewing resolutions for consideration ahead of General Conference 2028, part of an ongoing process that will continue at the Spring 2027 board meeting. 

The next GBCS Board of Directors meeting is planned for March 2027.